Plumb-rule.



H. PLATT.

PLUMB RULE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1910. nmmwnn AUG. 21, 1911.

1 ,004, 1 94. Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

u N m f I a snnn'rs-snnnw 1.

H. PLATT.

PLUMB R'ULE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1910. RENEWED AUG. 21, 1911.

1,004,194. Patelited Sept. 26, 1911.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET B.

COLUMN FLANOGIAPN CO" WASHINGTON, D. C

H. PLATT.

PLUMB RULE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED AUG. 11, 1910. mmnwnn AUG. 21, 1011.

Patented Sept. 26, 1-911.

3 SHEETS- 8KB?! 8.

COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPM C0-- WASHINGPON. D- C.

HENRY .PLATT, OF SUFFERN, NEW YORK.

PLUMIB-RULE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 19.11.

Application filed August 8, 1910, Serial No. 576,148. Renewed August 21,1911. Serial No. 645,314.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY PLATT, citizen of the United States, residingat Suffern, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Plumb-Rules, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to plumb rules of that general class shown anddescribed in my pending application filed in the United States PatentOffice on the 8th day of June 1909, under Serial No. 501,412.

The object of the invention is generally to improve and simplify theconstruction of the rule and to provide the latter with oppositelydisposed working faces so that the rule may be reversed and placed inposition on a wall or partition with either working face thereof bearingagainst said wall.

A further object is to provide a plumb rule having a plurality ofsliding gages detachably secured thereto and provided with spacedclamping members adapted to embrace the side walls of the rule, wherebysaid gages may be placed on either working face of the rule and thuspermit the latter to be used for plumbing either the interior orexterior angles of a wall.

A further object is to provide one or more of the sliding gages withadjustable plates, each having means at one end thereof for supporting ahorizontal line when erecting a wall with an offset or sinking andprovided at its other end with means for engagement with a profile line.

A further object is to provide means for clamping the sliding gages inadjusted position on the plumb rule, and means carried by said gages forsupporting a line during either horizontal or vertical trigging.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefliciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minordetails of construc tion may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims.

For afull understanding of the invention and the merits thereof,reference is to be had to the following description and accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of awall, showing a pair of plumb rules constructed in accordance with myinvention, in position thereon; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one ofthe rules detached, showing the sliding plate reversed and in positionto support a profile line; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspectiveView, partly in section of the plumb rule with one of the sliding gagesthereon, showing the sliding plate in position to hold a horizontal linewhen formin a wall or partition with a sinking or oii'set; Fig. at is aperspective view, showing the plumb rule supported within the angle of awall; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig.2; Fig. (5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line (36 of Fig. 5;Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the sliding gages detached withthe plate or trigging attachment removed, showing the manner ofsupporting a horizontal line at the corner of a wall; Fig. 8 is a detailperspective view of the auxiliary bracket for supporting the rule inposition on a wall; Fig. 9 is a perspective view, showing a modifiedform of gage; Fig. 10 is a perspective view, showinga different mannerof supporting one of the rule engaging brackets.

Corrosponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The improved plumb rule forming the subject matter of the presentinvention comprises a longitudinally disposed body portion 5 having fiatmetallic plates 6 secured to the opposite side faces thereof, the edges7 of which constitute working faces for contact with the interior orexterior surface of a wall, partition or other structure. The oppositelongitudinal edges of the plates 6 are extended laterally beyond theadjacent edge of the body portion 5 toform vertically disposed mortarreceiving recesses or grooves 8, preferably extending the entire heightof the rule. The grooves 8 are de-' signed to receive the mortar thatexudes from the joints between the bricks of the several courses, whensaid bricks are struck with a hammer or trowel to make the joint of theproper thickness during the erection of a wall. The grooves 8 thus serveto receive the surplus mortar, thereby preventing said mortar fromforcing the working face of the plumb rule away from the bricks andconsequently permitting the rule to bear flat against the face of a wallat all times. After one or two courses of a wall are laid the bricklayerinserts his two-foot rule or other suitable tool within the groove 8 andforces said tool downwardly, thus dislodging the partially dry mortarfrom the groove at the joints of the bricks, which dislodging mortardrops through the groove to the ground. The working faces of the rulemay also be moved out of contact with the wall to permit the mortar atthe joints to be pointed up by releasing the screws 20 and 23 andpressing the rule laterally within the gages, as will be readilyunderstood.

Slidably mounted on the plumb rule are a plurality of gages, eachcomprising a substantially U-shaped body portion 9, the arms 10 of whichare adapted to embrace and frictionally engage the side plates 6, saidgages being reversible and each open at one end thereof so that thegages may be positioned on either working edge of the rule, thus topermit the latter to be used in the formation of either an interior oreX- terior angle of a wall or partition. The

metal constituting one arm 10 of each gage is bent laterally to producean angularly disposed plate 11 adapted to bear against the inner facesof the bricks when forming an interior angle, each plate 11 beingprovided with oppositely disposed recesses or notches 12 for thereception of a line 13, as best shown in Fig. 2. The metal forming theopposite arm of each gage is bent laterally to produce spaced verticallydisposed ears 14 having fiat contact faces 15 for engagement with a walland provided with laterally extending lips 16, said lips being spacedfrom the adjacent arms 10 of the gage to form a notch or recess 17 forthe reception of the line 13 when trigging horizontally, as best shownin Fig. 7 of the drawings.

The closed end of each sliding gage 9 1s reinforced by a verticallydisposed plate 18 which bears against the interior wall thereof with itslower end bent laterally and upwardly in contact with the exterior wallof the gage, said reinforcing plate and end wall being pierced by spacedopenings 19 for the reception of clamping devices, the latter beingpreferably in the form of screws or bolts 20. The side walls 10 of eachgage are formed with horizontally disposed slots 21 to permit thepassage of transverse clamping .bolts 22, said bolts being provided withwing nuts 23 so that by placing the gage on either working face of therule with the arms 10 thereof embracing the plates 6, and adjusting thewing nuts 23, said gage may be firmly clamped in position on the rule.It will here be noted that the bolts 22, by engagement with eitherworking face of the plumb rule, serve to limit the inward movement ofthe gage, while the clamping bolts or screws 20, by engagement with thebolts 22, serve to regulate the adjustment of the gages on the rule,thus to permit the plate 11 and ears 14 to project in front of or at therear of the longitudinal edges or working faces 7, or in verticalalinement therewith, as the case may be.

Slidably mounted on one side of each gage 9, between the spaced ears 14,is a trigging attachment, preferably in the form of a flat plate 24having spaced slots 25 therein for the reception of bolts or similarfastening devices 26, the latter being extended through one of the wallsof the gage and the adjacent slots 25 for the purpose of clamping theplate 24 in adjusted position. One end of each plate 24 is provided witha vertically disposed ear 27 having a rearwardly extending lip 28,spaced from the body of the plate to form a recess for the horizontalline 13 when it is desired to form a wall or partition with an offset orsinking. The opposite end of the plate 24 is formed with alongitudinally disposed finger 29 and a forwardly extending hook 30adapted to support a profile line 31, or an ordinary line when triggingvertically. Thus it will be seen that by loosening the bolts 26 andsliding the plate 24 longitudinally on the adjacent gage to the positionshown in Fig. 3 of the drawings and passing the line 13 beneath the lip28, said line may be supported in spaced relation to the face of thewall and held in said position when forming an offset or sinking. Bydetaching the plate 24 and replacing the latter in reverse position withthe hook 30 extending between the cars 14, said hook may be used forsupporting a vertical or profile line, as best shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings.

The plumb rule is supported on the exterior or interior face of awall bymeans of brackets 32, similar in construction to the brackets shown inmy pending application above referred to, there being vertical slots 33formed in the body portion 5 and side plates 6 of the rule to permit thepassage of transverse bolts 33. When the brackets 32 are secured to anew wall, suitable plates 34 are embedded in the mortar between thebricks of some of the courses and projected through slots 35 formed inthe adjacent attaching arms of said brackets to permit the insertion ofwedges 36.

WVhen the plumb rule is used on an old or finished wall, the bracketsare preferably retained in position thereon by means of substantiallyU-shaped clips 37 having their intermediate portions ofiset at 38 toform spaced horizontally disposed clamping fingers 39, the latter beinginserted between the adjacent bricks in a course by removing a portionof the mortar therebetween. The clips 37 are pierced by verticallydisposed clamping bolts 40 so that by adjusting the wing nuts 41, thelips 39 may be securely clamped in engagement with the adjacent I0brick. The clips 37 are also provided with laterally extending bolts 42which project through slots 43 formed in the adjacent supportingbrackets, thus to retain said brackets in position on a Wall, as bestshown in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

In some cases, auxiliary brackets 44 of the construction shown in Fig.8, are em- 'ployed to assist in retaining the plumb rule in position ona wall. The auxiliary bracket 44 is adapted to embrace one working faceof the rule and is provided with a transverse bolt 45 and an adjustingbolt 46, similar in construction to the bolts 22 and 20 shown in Fig. 5of the drawings, for the purpose of 25 clamping the auxiliary bracket inposition on the plumb rule. One leg of the auxiliary bracket is providedwith an angularly disposed arm 47 adapted to bear against the adjacentexterior face of the wall or partition and to which it is secured by oneor more wedges 48, similar in construction to the wedges 36.

If desired, some of the sliding gages may be formed without the triggingattachment or plate 24, as best shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, inwhich case, the cars 14 will extend uninterruptedly, practically theentire height of the gage, as indicated at 49.

In constructing a wall, one of the plumb rules is supported on theexterior face of the wall at each corner thereof by means of thebrackets 32, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The upper gages 9are then adjusted vertically of the rules to the desired height and thehorizontal line 13 extended between the rules with its opposite endsseated in the slots 17 of the adjacent Vertical cars 14 so as to permitthe bricklayer to build to said line. With the plumb rules in theposition shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the longitudinal edges 7 bearagainst the adjacent exterior face of the Wall so as to form an accuratevertical gage or guide for the succeeding courses of a 'wall. Ifdesired, one of the plumb rules may be positioned at each corner of thewall, in which event one end of the line 13 on one side of the wall willbe passed under the lips 16 of the adjacent gage to form a right angle,as best shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. In order to form an offset orsinking in the wall. the trigging attachment or plate 24 is moved to theposition shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and in order to support avertical or profile line, the plate 24 is reversed and placed on theadjacent gage in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of the drawlngs.

When using the plumb rule in the formation of an interior angle, thebrackets 32 are supported on the inner face of the wall and the plumbrule inserted in the brackets in the manner before stated. \Vith theplumb rule supported on the inner face of the wall, the angular plate 11forms an accurate gage for the bricklayer to build to, as best shown inFig. 4 of the drawings.

It will be noted that when the rule is used in the manner shown in Fig.4, the notches '12 receive and house the line 13 so as to prevent saidline from rubbing against the bricks during the erection of the wall andcutting or otherwise injuring the line.

The plumb rule is preferably provided with a laterally extending bracket50 from which is suspended a plumb bob 51 of the ordinary construction.

It will of course be understood that the arms of the brackets 32 may beadjusted at any angle or inclination to each other so as to permit saidbrackets to be used on either an interior or exterior angle of anyshape.

Particular attention is here directed to the fact that by making thesliding gages in the manner described, said gages may be readily placedin position on either working face of the plumb rule and adjustedvertically of the latter, the arms of said gages being clamped inengagement with the side walls of the rule so as to prevent accidentaldisplacement thereof, in the manner before described.

From the foregoing description, it is thought that the construction andoperation of the device .will be readily understood by those skilled inthe art and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1.. A plumb rule including a body portion having a working face providedwith a longitudinally disposed mortar receiving groove, and a gageslidably mounted on the body portion and bearing against the side wallsthereof.

2. A plumb rule including a body portion having oppositely disposedworking faces, each provided with a motar receiving groove, and areversible gage slidably mounted on the body portion and bearing againstthe side Walls of said body portion.

3. A plumb rule including a body portion having its oppositelongitudinal edges provided with mortar receiving grooves, a gageslidably mounted on the body portion and provided with means forsupporting a line, and means for holding the gage in different positionsof adjustment.

4. A plumb rule including a body portion having fiat plates secured tothe opposite &

sides thereof, the longitudinal edges of the plates being ext-endedlaterally beyond the adjacent edges of the body portion to form mortarreceiving grooves, and a detachable gage slidably mounted on the bodyportion and provided with means for supporting a line.

5. A plumb rule including a body portion llilViIlg' oppositely disposedworking faces provided with mortar-receiving grooves, a gage slidablymounted on the rule, and a trigging attachment slidably mounted on thegage and having means at one end thereof for engagement with a'verticalprofile line, and means at its other end for engagement with ahorizontal line.

6. A plumb rule including a body portion having oppositely disposedmortar receiving grooves, a gage slidably mounted for vertical movementon the body portion and provided with spaced ears for engagement with ahorizontal line, and a trigging attachment slidably mounted on the gagebetween said ears.

7. A plumb rule including a body portion, a gage slidably mounted on thebody portion, and a plate slidably mounted on the gage and having oneend thereof provided with a hook for engagement with a vertical profileline and its other end provided with means for supporting a horizontalline.

8. A plumb rule including a body portion, agage slidably mounted on thebody por tion, a reversible plate carried by the gage and having a slotformed therein, one end of said plate being provided with a hook forengagement with a vertical profile line and the other end thereofprovided with a terminal ear for engagement with a horizontal line, andfastening devices carried by the gage and extendin through the slot inthe plate for clamping said. plate in position on the gage.

9. A. plumb rule including a body portion, a substantially U-shaped gageslidably mounted on the body portion and having one arm thereof bentlaterally to form an angularly disposed plate and its other arm providedwith spaced vertically alined ears, means piercing the arms of the gagefor clamping the latter in adjusted position on the rule, and a plateslidably mounted on the gage between said ears and having one endthereof provided with means for engagement with a vertical line and itsother end provided with means for engagement with a horizontal line.

1.0. A plumb rule including a body portion, a substantially U-shapedgage slidably mounted on the body portion and provided with oppositelydisposed spring arms hearing against the side walls of the rule, saidarms being formed with longitudinal slots, bolts extending through saidslots for engagement with one longitudinal edge of the rule, andclamping devices piercing the gage and bearing against the bolts.

11. A plumb rule including a body portion, a substantially U-shaped gageslidably mounted on the body portion and including spaced arms, one ofwhich is bent laterally to form an angularly disposed plate and theother provided with spaced laterally extending vertically alinedfingers, a reinforcing plate bearing against the closed end of the gage,transverse bolts piercing the arms of the gage, and longitudinal boltspiercing the end wall of the gage and said reinforcing plate forengagement with the transverse bolts.

12. A plumb rule including a body portion having oppositely disposedworking faces, each provided with a mortar receiving groove, areversible gage slidably mounted on the body portion and formed of asingle piece of metal bent into substantially U- shape to produce spacedarms bearing against the side walls of the body portion, one of saidarms being provided with an angularly disposed plate having notchesformed therein for the reception of a line and the other arm of the gagebeing provided with spaced vertically alined ears having rearwardlyextending lips also for engagement with a line, there being longitudinal slots formed in the arms of the gage, transverse bolts seated insaid slots, clamping devices extending through the gage and bearingagainst the transverse bolts for forcing the latter against the adjacentworking face of the gage, and a plate slidably mounted between thespaced ears of said gage and having one end thereof provided with meansfor engagement with a vertical line and its other end provided withmeans for supporting a horizontal line.

13. The combination with a bracket for attachment to a wall, of a plumbrule supported in said bracket and having alongitudinal slot formed inone end thereof, a fastening device extending through the bracket andengaging the adjacent wall of the slot, a reversible gage slidablymounted on the plumb rule, and a plate slidably mounted on the gage andhaving one end thereof provided with means for supporting a horizontalline and its other end provided with means for engagement with avertical line.

14. The combination with a plurality of brackets for attachment to awall, of a plumb rule supported in said brackets and having a slotformed in one end thereof and extending vertically for a portion of theheight of the rule, fastening devices extending through the bracket andslot in the rule, a gage slidably mounted for vertical movement on therule and provided with spaced arms bearing against the side walls of therule, means for clamping the gage in different positions of adjustmenton the rule, and a trigging attachment slidably mounted on the gage andmovable to operative position beyond one Working face of said rule.

15. The combination With a bracket for attachment to a Wall, of a plumbrule seated in said bracket and including a body portion havingoppositely disposed flat plates secured thereto and provided withterminal Working faces spaced apart to form intermediate mortarreceiving grooves, a detach able gage slidably mounted on the rule andbearing against the side Walls thereof, a

trigging attachment carried by the gage an auxiliary bracket embracingthe rule for at- 5 taclnnent to a wall means for clamping the auxiliarybracket in position on said rule, and means for holding the gage indifferent positions of adjustment.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature 20 in presence of twoWitnesses.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner HENRY PLATT. [L. s.]

Witnesse':

1\/[AY B. \VARD, EVELYN E. I'IALDEMAN.

of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

